System and Method for Measuring Interface Utilization Using Policers

1. A method comprising: receiving bandwidth utilization data from a plurality of policers configured to determine one or more red packets, wherein the plurality of policers are incremented at more frequent increments along a lower bandwidth level of an interface and at less frequent increments along a higher bandwidth level of the interface; determining a range of bandwidth values for which peak interface bandwidth utilization has occurred based on the bandwidth utilization data; and initiating traffic shaping at one or more boundary nodes corresponding to the policers using the determined range of bandwidth values.

2. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising: determining a minimum policer rate of the respective plurality of policers that is not exceeded during a predetermined time interval.

3. A method according to claim 2 , further comprising: determining a maximum policer rate of the respective plurality of policers that is exceeded during the time interval.

4. A method according to claim 3 , further comprising: determining a peak utilization from the bandwidth utilization data by calculating the peak utilization using extrapolation between the minimum policer rate that is not exceeded during the time interval and the maximum policer rate that is exceeded during the time interval.

5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of policers measure the bandwidth utilization data by monitoring a committed information rate value of the interface and a committed burst size of the interface.

6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of policers are used to count bytes and packets traveling on the interface.

7. A method according to claim 6 , wherein the interface is between a boundary node and an edge node, the method further comprising: determining to monitor a logical grouping of traffic, wherein the logical grouping including at least one of a physical port, a queue on a physical port, a sub-interface, a communication path, and a data flow.

8. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following, receive bandwidth utilization data from a plurality of policers configured to determine one or more red packets, wherein the plurality of policers are incremented at more frequent increments along a lower bandwidth level of an interface and at less frequent increments along a higher bandwidth level of the interface, determine a range of bandwidth values for which peak interface bandwidth utilization has occurred based on the bandwidth utilization data, and initiate traffic shaping at one or more boundary nodes corresponding to the policers using the determined range of bandwidth values.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to: determine a minimum policer rate of the respective plurality of policers that is not exceeded during a predetermined time interval.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to: determining a maximum policer rate of the respective plurality of policers that is exceeded during the time interval.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to: determine a peak utilization from the bandwidth utilization data by calculating the peak utilization using extrapolation between the minimum policer rate that is not exceeded during the time interval and the maximum policer rate that is exceeded during the time interval.

12. An apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the plurality of policers measure the bandwidth utilization data by monitoring a committed information rate value of the interface and a committed burst size of the interface.

13. An apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the plurality of policers are used to count bytes and packets traveling on the interface.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the interface is between a boundary node and an edge node, and the apparatus is further caused to: determine to monitor a logical grouping of traffic, wherein the logical grouping including at least one of a physical port, a queue on a physical port, a sub-interface, a communication path, and a data flow.

15. A system comprising: a plurality of policers configured to determine one or more red packets and measure bandwidth utilization data, wherein the plurality of policers are incremented at more frequent increments along a lower bandwidth level of an interface and at less frequent increments along a higher bandwidth level of the interface; an analysis module configured to determine a range of bandwidth values for which peak interface bandwidth utilization has occurred based on the bandwidth utilization data; and a shaping module configured to initiate traffic shaping at one or more boundary nodes corresponding to the policers using the determined range of bandwidth values.

16. A system according to claim 15 , wherein the analysis module is further configured to determine a minimum policer rate of the respective plurality of policers that is not exceeded during a predetermined time interval.

17. A system according to claim 16 , wherein the analysis module is further configured to determine a maximum policer rate of the respective plurality of policers that is exceeded during the time interval.

18. A system according to claim 17 , wherein the analysis module is further configured to determine a peak utilization from the bandwidth utilization data by calculating the peak utilization using extrapolation between the minimum policer rate that is not exceeded during the time interval and the maximum policer rate that is exceeded during the time interval.

19. A system according to claim 15 , wherein the plurality of policers measure the bandwidth utilization data by monitoring a committed information rate value of the interface and a committed burst size of the interface.

20. A system according to claim 15 , wherein the plurality of policers are used to count bytes and packets traveling on the interface.